Flames danced on the portrait.

It curled, twisted, and sagged, emitting subtle crackling sounds.

At this moment, silence was more eloquent than words:

“Don’t touch me.”

However, considering that the Great Emperor was not from Chuan-Yu but from Henan, it might have been:

“Bái āizhe wǒ.” (Don’t touch me.)

But Li Zhuiyuan had only spoken to the Great Emperor’s shadow, whose tone was identical to that of Old Man Zhai, speaking standard Mandarin.

In any case, Fengdu Dadi’s attitude was clear and unequivocal.

Indeed, diverting disaster to the east and letting wolves devour tigers was an excellent strategy.

Given the young man’s abilities and wisdom, he could certainly attempt such a feat.

But Li Zhuiyuan had no intention of doing so.

Because he knew that the ultimate outcome of such an attempt would inevitably be a meaningless failure.

That giant turtle had eyes only for him.

It wasn’t foolish; it merely wanted to kill one person, not instigate a cataclysmic disaster.

It would not provide any reason for jianghu forces or other powers to intervene; it would consciously avoid and handle all such situations.

“The mountain rain is about to fall, and the wind fills the tower.”

This was not a metaphor, but a tactic.

Earlier, when Li Zhuiyuan actively told Zhao Yi to take his men back to Jiujiang, he wasn’t playing hard to get.

Though… Zhao Yi did fall for that trick.

He had figured out the pattern with him: the bigger the waves, the more valuable the fish.

But the giant turtle would clear the field.

Before its true arrival, those “unrelated individuals” who could sense its presence would either experience a premonition or use divination to foresee the impending crisis. In short, they would have various methods to predict the danger in advance.

Therefore, no matter how clever Li Zhuiyuan’s trickery might be at this point, it would be useless.

Even if Li Zhuiyuan desperately tried to organize a grand sale and giveaway of the hidden treasures in Taige’s basement, deceiving a large number of prominent jianghu forces, most of them would scatter like birds and beasts when the time came.

The small portion of those who didn’t scatter would willingly hand him over, sacrificing one person to appease the giant turtle’s wrath and protect the peace of the human world.

In other words, only true “fools” would be willing to stand by his side, or even in front of him, to resist it in such a situation.

Indeed, there were such people in his family.

But the closer these family members were, the more reluctant he would be to let them sacrifice themselves for him.

The portrait was completely burned.

Li Zhuiyuan cleared the ashes from the offering table and looked at the empty wall hanging above:

“Master, for the next new painting, your disciple will surely make you more handsome. For example, I’ll remove your beard.”

Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the Daoist temple and returned to the courtyard.

Taige had no work today, so he sat on a stool at the living room door, peeling peanuts and watching TV.

The TV was playing “Journey to the West,” at the scene where Sun Wukong was expelled from his master Puti Laozu’s tutelage:

“When you go, you will surely bring trouble. No matter how you cause mischief or commit evil, you are not allowed to say that you are my disciple! If you utter even half a word, I will know it, and I will flay your monkey hide, dismember your bones, and banish your spirit to the Nine Netherworlds, so that you may never turn over a new leaf for ten thousand kalpas!”

Li Zhuiyuan turned his head and looked at the east room.

On the offering table in the east room, a dense array of spirit tablets was displayed, but only two candles, a few plates of pastries, and a cup of yellow wine were offered.

In fact, the candles were mainly because it was too much trouble to pull in an electric light bulb, and the material was special. Burning them during the day not only provided light but also served as incense and repelled mosquitoes. At night, Liu Yumei would extinguish the candles before sleeping.

As for the pastries and yellow wine, Liu Yumei had a habit of chatting with the spirit tablets at night. Rather than being offerings for them, they were more for Liu Yumei herself.

With no spirits left, no matter how grand the display, it was ultimately just a way of deceiving oneself. It would be fine if she didn’t realize it, but Liu Yumei knew it all too well in her heart.

Li Zhuiyuan entered the east room, took incense from the offering table, and lit it with the candle flame; he stepped back three paces, held the incense with both hands at his forehead, bowed three times; after steadily inserting the incense into the censer, he performed the final bow.

Sometimes, when Granny Liu was in a bad mood, she would curse at these spirit tablets, full of sarcasm.

After all, if both families hadn’t declined, many so-called problems wouldn’t be problems anymore, or wouldn’t even have occurred.

And if the Qin and Liu families were still at their peak back then, there would probably be countless Uncle Qins and Aunt Lius in the family, not to mention this large table of Dragon King spirits.

Li Zhuiyuan had visited the ancestral hall of the Zhao family in Jiujiang, where an offering table shaped like a coiled dragon held Zhao Wuyang’s spirit tablet at its head;

In the ancestral hall of the Dragon King Yu family, besides the Dragon King’s spirit tablets, there were also the accompanying demon beasts of the former Dragon King, providing a magnificent display.

For a Dragon King family, the number of spirit tablets was a clear indicator of their profound heritage.

The spirit tablets of the Qin and Liu families were now worshipped together. Even if the two families were separate, following the custom in Chuan-Yu, after family gatherings and lunch, mahjong rooms would have to be opened for entertainment. The Qin and Liu families would each need several rooms, otherwise, there wouldn’t be enough space.

If they were truly still around, Li Zhuiyuan could comfortably and legitimately stay at home, even consciously and deliberately hiding.

With the family traditions of the Qin and Liu families, they would never hand over their own children to be sacrificed for atonement, especially not to a malevolent spirit.

Setting aside whether the giant turtle would still be willing to forcefully come ashore given the sudden increase in cost.

One thing was certain.

When the giant turtle emerged from the seabed, it would immediately see rows of people already standing on the shore, waiting to “welcome” it.

After Yin Meng came to the house, Granny Liu once talked to him about Yin Changsheng.

In her words, Granny Liu placed the Dragon King’s lineage below Fengdu.

But that was because Yin Changsheng was still alive, while successive Dragon Kings did not seek longevity, viewing a protracted existence as a disgrace.

Granny Liu then jokingly added that beings like them in the world generally wouldn’t actively seek a deadly feud or conflict with the Dragon King’s lineage.

Because the latter truly possessed the ability of “endless descendants,” with a new Dragon King emerging every so often. If these Dragon Kings set their goal on suppressing and killing them, even a mountain could be moved.

Chen Xiyuan’s head peeked out from behind the doorframe, asking with some curiosity:

“Little brother, is something wrong?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Nothing.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Something must be wrong. When I was little, I loved going to the ancestral hall to complain about my grandpa to my ancestors.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Isn’t your grandpa good enough to you?”

Old Master Chen treated Chen Xiyuan like a true cherished pearl, even saying things like, “If you’re tired from walking the river, quickly light the second lamp, admit defeat, and go home.”

Chen Xiyuan: “It’s just that my fourth aunt and fifth aunt were arguing at home. Fourth aunt said fifth aunt always disliked her, and that she wasn’t feeling well recently, so fifth aunt must have secretly cast a spell on her in her room.

Then I quickly came out to help fifth aunt prove that she didn’t. Fifth aunt and fifth uncle were in the room, constantly crying and complaining that fifth uncle didn’t care about her, still regretting not being able to marry fourth aunt back then. Fifth aunt kept asking what was so good about his fourth aunt, so she could learn.

Grandpa was so angry he told me to shut up and even broke a willow branch, saying he would hit me.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Your grandpa is really too much.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Exactly! As soon as I finished speaking, fourth aunt stopped arguing immediately, and fifth aunt’s innocence was cleared.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “You’ve made a great contribution to this family. Because of you, this family has a lot less scheming and backstabbing.”

Chen Xiyuan: “That’s right, that’s right! So after Grandpa gave me a red mark on my arm, I ran to the ancestral hall and complained about him to my ancestors.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Then what?”

Chen Xiyuan: “Then when my grandpa ran to the ancestral hall, he tripped and fell. His wine gourd broke, and all his treasured wine evaporated.”

This truly showed favoritism; not only were her grandparents fond of her, but her ancestors also doted on her, and even the Dao of Heaven favored her more.

Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the east room.

Chen Xiyuan: “So, suddenly feeling the urge to go into the ancestral hall to worship must be because you were wronged outside and wanted to find your ancestors to back you up.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “No, my hands were just itching.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Really?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Mm, really.”

Chen Xiyuan reached out and patted Li Zhuiyuan’s arm, then patted her own chest:

“Little brother, don’t worry. Your family’s Dragon King spirits are gone, but my family has them. Although not many, they’re enough. Aren’t we leaving for Hainan tomorrow? I’ll take you to my family’s ancestral hall then. You can light a few more sticks of incense, and I guarantee my ancestors will give me face and bless you too.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Thank you.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Hēi hēi hēi.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Is Zhao Yi’s book copied yet?”

Chen Xiyuan: “He went to Beardy’s house to copy it. I’ll go check later and also play a few more tunes with the one in the peach forest. Sigh, I’m leaving soon, I’ll really miss him.”

To meet friends through music, that truly implies kindred spirits.

Li Zhuiyuan: “You can ask him if he’s willing to move somewhere else, like outside your Chen family’s ancestral home.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Can I?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “His main body is just enough to fill a coffin, it’s not hard to move.”

Chen Xiyuan: “If he’s really willing to go, then I’ll clear all the coconut trees in front of my ancestral home and plant peach trees instead. My grandpa will definitely be overjoyed when he sees it!”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Mm.”

Old Master Chen would certainly be overjoyed to the point of death, with his granddaughter inviting a formidable malevolent spirit from outside and placing it in front of the Dragon King’s ancestral home.

From now on, guests visiting the Chen family would all have to observe Qing’an’s mood.

Anyone without a bit of musical talent would be forbidden entry or exit.

Chen Xiyuan: “But, little brother, what will you do if he’s not here? I can’t do that.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “He’s not my slave.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Isn’t he your gatekeeper?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “That’s his part-time job.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Never mind, never mind. With him here, little brother, you can live here much more securely and safely. Any external enemies who come here will definitely head straight for that peach forest first, then be hung up and beaten by him… Ugh…”

At this moment, Chen Xiyuan suddenly understood something.

She lowered her head, looked at the flute in her hand, then slowly took a deep breath:

“My goodness.”

Clearly, she finally realized that if she didn’t understand music and mistook that person for an old lady, her fate would likely be exactly as she had just described.

“Little brother, that was really close.”

“Good thing you realized it quickly.”

Chen Xiyuan turned her face, pouted her lips, and looked at Li Zhuiyuan:

“Now when you mock me, I can understand.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “So before, you always took it as a compliment.”

Chen Xiyuan: “I’m ignoring you. I’m going to play my flute.”

Just then, Aunt Liu returned from outside and said, “Miss Chen, your family’s letter has arrived.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Sister, you’ve worked hard.”

“You carry the load, I lead the horse, greeting the sunrise and sending off the sunset.”

After one episode ended, Li Sanjiang clapped his hands, pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He watched Chen Xiyuan take a letter from Aunt Liu, and with some surprise, asked Li Zhuiyuan, who had stood beside him:

“Is that thin girl’s family so poor that they can’t even afford a phone call and have to send letters?”

That wasn’t just a letter, but an invitation.

The Yu family’s matter had long been settled, but Chen Xiyuan had been slow to return to Hainan, so her family must have inquired.

It seemed Chen Xiyuan had informed her family about her stay with Old Madam Liu.

However, she probably kept a secret, not mentioning him, so that she could conveniently steal things when she went to the Chen family.

Facing Taige’s question, Li Zhuiyuan replied, “Some older people just prefer writing letters, I suppose.”

Li Sanjiang shook his head and said, “That thin girl said her family’s conditions were pretty good. She even said before that her family runs a travel agency and wanted to invite me to Hainan for a trip. I thought it was unreliable at the time and didn’t dare to agree.

Look how much that thin girl eats at every meal; she’s clearly not getting enough to eat at home. How can a family like that have good conditions?

I’d only go if I won a prize and didn’t have to spend money.

Xiao Yuan Hou, remember, when we get to Sanya, absolutely do not let that thin girl’s family come over. If they insist on treating us to a meal or anything, it would be too much of an expense for them. There’s no need for it.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Mm, okay, Taige.”

Chen Xiyuan was tearing open the envelope. Each layer of sealing paper came with a seal, but she was too lazy to unseal them properly, opting for a violent disassembly, with a layer of dust falling off with each tear.

“This letter is from my Dragon King Chen family to the Old Madam. This one is from my grandma to the Old Madam in her personal capacity. Huh… this one is from my grandpa to the Old Madam in his personal capacity?”

Aunt Liu: “Shall I deliver it or will you?”

Chen Xiyuan: “Sister, please go deliver it. I feel a bit guilty delivering this one for my grandpa, it’s not fair to my grandma.”

Aunt Liu: “Then should I just destroy this letter for your grandma?”

Chen Xiyuan: “That would be unfair to my grandpa.”

Aunt Liu: “You’re truly filial.”

Chen Xiyuan waved her hand and happily ran in the direction of Beardy’s house.

Aunt Liu also took these letters and went to Cui Cui’s house.

Li Zhuiyuan sat beside Taige, helping him peel peanuts.

People who enjoy drinking generally love fried peanuts.

“Xiao Yuan Hou, we’re going to the airport tomorrow. Have you packed your things?”

“I’ve packed them.”

“Then this afternoon, accompany me to the ancestral graves to burn some paper money. We’ll be in Hainan during the memorial festival, so we’ll burn it early.”

“Okay.”

At this moment, Tan Wenbin was inflating a bicycle tire with a pump he borrowed from Aunt Zhang’s convenience store.

“Grandpa Li, Brother Xiaoyuan, my dad just called and said he’s back in Nantong. I’m going to see him.”

Li Sanjiang: “Tell your dad to come home for dinner, save you the trouble of cooking.”

“No, Grandpa Li, he still has to visit my paternal and maternal grandparents.”

“That’s true. Why aren’t you driving? You haven’t ridden this bicycle in a long time, have you?”

“The car’s out of gas.”

Li Sanjiang reached into his pocket and pulled out some money.

Tan Wenbin: “It’s not far, just to town. Save a little gas and money. I’m off, Grandpa Li!”

He hopped on the bike, pushed off, and Tan Wenbin sped down the slope in a flash.

Li Sanjiang had already taken out the money, and was too lazy to put it back, so he handed it to Li Zhuiyuan:

“Xiao Yuan Hou, you and Zhuang Zhuang can split this. This month’s pocket money.”

Li Zhuiyuan didn’t refuse, took the money, counted it carefully, and said:

“Taige, it’s not enough to be divided into four equal parts.”

“Then you just take a bit more.”

“That’s too embarrassing. It’s better to give me a bit more so everyone gets a round number.”

“Alright, I’ll go back to the house to get it later. Money, your Taige has plenty!”

“Uncle Sanjiang, Xiao Yuan Hou.”

Li Weihan rode over on that ancient bicycle.

Li Sanjiang: “Han Hou, what’s up? Look at your smiling face, did you dig up gold in your family’s field?”

Li Weihan: “Pretty much. Pan Zi came back last night and said Lan Hou is back.”

Li Sanjiang: “Lan Hou? That thin girl of yours?”

Li Weihan: “Precisely.”

Li Sanjiang: “If she’s back, she’s back.”

With Li Weihan and Xiao Yuan Hou both here, Li Sanjiang was too lazy to badmouth Li Lan.

Even when Li Lan was little, he didn’t like this “Lan Hou.”

Although every time she saw him, Lan Hou called him affectionately.

But Li Sanjiang just felt that this girl was very fake.

He once wondered if he was being too suspicious. How could such a small girl have such deep thoughts? Shouldn’t her likes and dislikes be written on her face?

But every time they met, this feeling was very strong, making him uncomfortable and even causing him to dream of her at night.

He dreamed of her sneaking into his house and stealing things from his cellar.

Fortunately, he didn’t like Lan Hou, but he truly loved the child Lan Hou bore.

Unlike when Lan Hou called him as a child, which he found repulsive and fake, when Xiao Yuan Hou first called him “Taige,” he felt that the child’s eyes were full of sincerity!

Facts proved him right!

Li Weihan looked at Li Zhuiyuan and asked, “Xiao Yuan Hou, when will your mother be home? Your grandma went to town early in the morning to buy meat and told me to pick her up at the village entrance. The village has changed a lot, and she’s worried your mother won’t recognize the way after being away for so long.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Grandpa, my mom is on a business trip in Shanghai. She took some time yesterday to come to Nantong, originally wanting to come back to the village to see you all, but then she got a call and had to go back. She said she’ll come back to the village after her business in Shanghai is finished, which will be in a few days. She’ll call in advance.”

“Ah, good, good. It’s good that she can come back, it’s good.” Li Weihan couldn’t hide his disappointment. “Uncle Sanjiang, then how about coming to my house for drinks at noon? The meat has already been cut, and it won’t keep well this season.”

Li Sanjiang: “Don’t you have a refrigerator at home?”

Li Weihan: “We can buy fresh meat when Lan Hou comes back.”

Li Sanjiang: “You get out of here, I’m not eating your leftovers, or Lan Hou’s leftovers for that matter.”

Li Weihan: “Then I’ll ask the kids’ grandma to cook some dishes and send you a big bowl here.”

Before Li Sanjiang could reply, Li Weihan turned his bicycle around and rode off. He was used to Uncle Sanjiang being displeased with his children.

Li Sanjiang looked at Li Zhuiyuan: “Xiao Yuan Hou, you saw your mother in the city yesterday? Why didn’t you tell your Taige?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Taige, I’m doing very well. I’m too lazy to mention her.”

Li Sanjiang smiled, then realized it wasn’t appropriate and immediately stifled it.

That’s right, Li Lan came to help him secure a sliver of hope.

But if it weren’t for her, his hope would be full.

At this moment, he was genuinely packing his bags, preparing to accompany Taige to enjoy the sun and sand of Hainan.

Li Sanjiang: “Xiao Yuan Hou, if your mother is willing to change her mind, don’t always keep a straight face. You should respond when you need to, and call her ‘mama’ when you need to. It’ll be good for your future.

Oh, right, and your Grandpa Bei, you should call him more often too. I could tell when I went to Beijing last time that your Grandpa Bei likes you very much.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Long-distance calls are expensive.”

“Ai, this child, everything else is good, but this one point is quite stubborn. Ai, why won’t he listen?”

Li Sanjiang lectured him while peeling peanuts, his cheeks puffed out.

He hoped the child would have a bright future, but he was also happy that the child only recognized him.

Aunt Liu returned after delivering the letters, a smile on her face.

She had read all three letters with Liu Yumei.

The letter sent in the name of Dragon King Chen contained normal greetings between Dragon King families.

The letter sent in the name of Chen Xiyuan’s grandmother contained her grandmother’s words in the first half, and her grandfather’s rebuttal in the second half, accusing her of slandering and spreading rumors. As for Chen Xiyuan’s grandfather’s letter, the first half was written by him, and the second half was written by Chen Xiyuan’s grandmother, exposing his old secrets.

Apparently, before the three letters were sent, both parties had intercepted each other’s letters and added their own content.

After reading the letters, Liu Yumei flicked the envelopes with her fingertips and playfully scolded:

“These two, they’re both so old, showing off their affection at home is one thing, but they just had to show it off in front of me.”

Li Sanjiang saw Aunt Liu return and called out:

“Ting Hou, let’s make lunch first.”

Aunt Liu: “Uncle Sanjiang, it’s still early.”

Li Sanjiang: “Make ours first, Xiao Yuan Hou and me. We’ll eat early and then go burn paper at the ancestral graves.”

Aunt Liu: “Okay, I’ll go do it now.”

At Beardy’s courtyard.

Zhao Yi was copying a book.

Even though it was still very hot, he was covered in sweat—cold sweat, that is.

Before reading the internal reference, he was extremely longing and eager.

After reading it, he realized how rebellious its contents truly were.

Between the lines, there was no hint of respect for the Dao of Heaven from the person surnamed Li, only calculation.

The majestic Dao of Heaven, in the eyes of the person surnamed Li, was like a bargaining mother at a wet market.

Every time he copied a small section, Zhao Yi had to stop writing, take a deep breath, and adjust his state of mind.

Chen Xiyuan passed by the courtyard, skipping into the peach forest like a butterfly flying among the peach blossoms.

Zhao Yi watched this scene and sighed.

Old Man Tian brought a freshly made pastry: “Young Master, please try this.”

“Old Tian, I should have learned more instruments when I was little.”

“Young Master, when you were little, it was hard for you to even breathe lying in bed, so how could you have the energy to play instruments?”

“Yeah, that’s why I deserve to be hung up and beaten like a chime.”

Benben, in the nearby crib, grabbed the railing and stood up, ready to listen to the music.

Soon, melodious music emanated from the peach forest.

But just as it was getting into full swing, it suddenly stopped.

Benben blinked his eyes, somewhat puzzled.

Zhao Yi frowned slightly, muttering, “What happened?”

Inside the peach forest.

Chen Xiyuan examined the flute in her hand with great confusion.

At first, she was playing very well, but just now, the tone suddenly went off.

She tried blowing a few more times, only to find that it was still wrong.

Ordinary people wouldn’t notice, but for music lovers like them, even a slight deviation would be unbearable.

“Could it be… the flute is broken?”

Chen Xiyuan raised the flute, held it above her head, and squinted to look inside.

Inside the wooden house.

Qing’an’s hands rested on the zither, the wind blowing in through the window gently rustling the hair at his temples.

After a long time, Qing’an spoke:

“You should go back.”

“Mm.” Chen Xiyuan nodded. “I’ll go back and see what’s wrong with this flute. Oh, right, little sister is very capable, she’ll definitely be able to fix it for me. I’ll come back tonight.”

Qing’an: “You should go back.”

“Mm.” Chen Xiyuan bowed towards the wooden house. “Senior, see you tonight.”

She also regretted not being able to make the other party enjoy this duet.

She turned and walked out of the peach forest.

Qing’an’s voice rang out again:

“You should go back.”

“Hmm?”

“Go back to your Qiongya, go back to your Chen family.”

“Yes, Senior, I’m leaving tomorrow.”

“Mm.”

Qing’an responded and said no more.

Chen Xiyuan lingered for a moment, then continued walking out of the peach forest.

Zhao Yi waved the book in his hand and called out to her:

“Miss Chen, I’ve finished copying this one for you.”

Chen Xiyuan vaulted onto the courtyard, took the book, flipped through a few pages, and praised:

“Your handwriting is really good.”

Zhao Yi: “Is your first reaction to look at the handwriting?”

Chen Xiyuan: “Good handwriting is also pleasing to the eye.”

Zhao Yi: “I haven’t finished copying the second one yet. You can come over tonight and choose which version’s handwriting you prefer.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Okay.”

Zhao Yi: “What happened in there just now?”

Chen Xiyuan waved the green flute in her hand: “There’s a problem with my flute. I need to go back and have the little sister fix it.”

Zhao Yi’s normally calm expression froze upon hearing this sentence.

In Zhao Yi’s mind, Chen Xiyuan’s statement translated to: “There’s a problem with my family’s ancestral grave.”

This green flute was virtually indistinguishable from the ancestral artifact of the Dragon King Chen family.

Chen Xiyuan: “Then I’ll be going now. See you tonight.”

Zhao Yi: “See you tonight.”

After Chen Xiyuan left, Zhao Yi sat back down, and also picked up Benben from the crib.

He pondered with a thoughtful look, gently pinching Benben’s tender cheek.

Benben pouted, but dared not resist, because resistance would result in his little bird suffering.

After a long while, Zhao Yi spoke:

“Xu Ming.”

Xu Ming, who was helping to make the large offering table nearby, immediately straightened up and replied, “Here.”

Zhao Yi: “Notify everyone to pack their things and be ready to return to Jiujiang at any time.”

“Yes.”

“Ah, Brother Yi, didn’t you say we were going to stay a while longer?” Chen Jing poked his head out from the rooftop; he had been helping to repair the roof tiles earlier. “I haven’t even gone to Langshan yet.”

He mainly heard that there was nothing else fun to do in Nantong besides Langshan, so Chen Jing deliberately saved Langshan for last.

Zhao Yi looked up at Chen Jing and said, “Then go now with A-Li. Come back early after you’ve been.”

“Okay, Sister Li, Sister Li, Brother Yi said we should hurry up and go play at Langshan.”

Zhao Yi put Benben back in the crib, and Benben breathed a sigh of relief.

Who knew that the next moment Zhao Yi would move his hand down, flicking at his little bird’s position with a “Pa!” sound. It didn’t hit, but it scared Benben into falling backward.

“Hahahaha!”

Zhao Yi laughed heartily.

Liang Yan came out and asked, “Boss, everything’s ready. When are we heading back?”

Zhao Yi: “Not yet, I’m going to sound out that guy named Li’s bottom price again.”

Leaving Beardy’s house, Zhao Yi walked towards Li Sanjiang’s house. On the way, he met Tan Wenbin, who was just cycling back.

“Yo, great companion, what are you busy with?”

“Just returned from the yamen.”

Tan Wenbin met Tan Yunlong at the Shigang Police Station. Tan Yunlong wasn’t back to visit relatives, but for official business.

The leader of a criminal gang was arrested in Jinling. According to the confessed crimes, it was discovered that a former subordinate of this gang leader, who had been involved in bloodshed, was now doing very well independently, constantly conducting lottery activities in several cities within the province, and was currently in Nantong.

A while ago, someone died at a lottery event, and the person in charge almost knelt down to Li Sanjiang, begging him to accept the prize. This was not only out of fear of being involved in fraud, but also out of fear that his past secrets would be unearthed.

However, his greed was too great. He thought he had successfully avoided and handled this crisis, planning to hold a few more lottery events to compensate for his losses. Who knew he would be arrested directly at the lottery site today.

As a result, all assets of his so-called shell companies would be frozen, including undelivered prizes, which meant Li Sanjiang’s Sanya family luxury tour was temporarily cancelled.

Tan Yunlong saw Li Sanjiang’s name on the list and signaled Tan Wenbin to go back and explain it clearly to Grandpa Li.

Tan Wenbin was not surprised by this at all; after all, Brother Xiaoyuan had already predicted it yesterday.

Zhao Yi handed Tan Wenbin a cigarette and asked, “Great Companion Tan, tell me frankly, is a big wave coming again this time?”

Tan Wenbin nodded: “Yes.”

Zhao Yi gesticulated with both hands, asking, “How big?”

Tan Wenbin also gesticulated, saying, “As big as a lazy dog.”

Zhao Yi exhaled a smoke ring: “But I no longer have a clan to be enfeoffed to.”

Tan Wenbin: “Mm.”

Zhao Yi: “My chickens at home in Lushan are about to lay eggs, I have to rush back.”

Tan Wenbin: “Mm, that’s right, that’s right.”

Zhao Yi: “Tsk, this isn’t like your style, Great Companion Tan. The guy named Li tells me to go back to Jiujiang, and you, Great Companion Tan, don’t even try to make me stay?”

Tan Wenbin: “Because there’s no need. You’re just one more foreign team, not much difference.”

Zhao Yi: “No, I have to make that guy named Li tell me himself!”

Tan Wenbin: “Team Leader, calculate the time, your next wave is coming soon. You know, if you ask now, you’re very likely to get caught in someone else’s wave.”

Zhao Yi walked to the cement bridge ahead, squatted down, and sucked on his cigarette puff by puff like an old farmer.

Tan Wenbin: “Team Leader, should I go first?”

Zhao Yi: “Come back, squat with me for a while.”

Tan Wenbin: “I still need to report to Grandpa Li that the Sanya trip is temporarily off.”

Zhao Yi: “Let me talk to you again about mind reading.”

Tan Wenbin: “Anyway, we can’t go to Sanya, so it doesn’t matter if I tell him sooner or later.”

After Tan Wenbin squatted down, Zhao Yi pursed his lips and asked:

“Great Companion, do you think if I really leave this time, I’ll regret it later?”

“At least, Team Leader, you’ll still be alive to regret it.”

Zhao Yi rubbed his fingertips, directly crushing the lit cigarette butt, and said incredulously:

“Just how terrifying a bastard has that surnamed Li provoked this time?”

Tan Wenbin nodded.

Zhao Yi: “Say something.”

Tan Wenbin: “Do you really want me to say it?”

Zhao Yi: “No, stop! That, ha, this time it’s so serious that even the guy named Li isn’t confident. Then you guys…”

Tan Wenbin: “We will definitely advance and retreat with Brother Xiaoyuan. I’m currently guarding against Brother Xiaoyuan kicking us out.”

Zhao Yi lit another cigarette, took a quick, deep drag, and then threw the butt into the river.

After a long pause,

He asked:

“Then what about A-You?”

Old Li’s ancestral grave was a mess.

For ordinary commoners, having a tombstone after death was considered a luxury in the past, so in the ancestral grave, only the “younger” ones had a tombstone as a marker. Several generations above them were often crammed together, with no fixed tomb mounds, making it impossible to distinguish them.

Li Zhuiyuan noticed that there were many artificially dug pits around the ancestral grave.

Li Sanjiang pointed at them and chuckled, “They’re all tomb mounds dug by other families when they came to visit their own graves, specifically running over to ours. They all say our Old Li family’s ancestral grave has been catching fire these years, very prosperous!”

Especially families with children in school, after Li Zhuiyuan became the provincial top scholar, even if their ancestral grave was at the east end of the village, they would specifically run to the west end to dig a tomb mound, take it back to cover their own ancestors’ graves, pointing at it and pleading with their ancestors:

“Smell it, look at it, and bless our child’s academic progress with this very scent!”

This was a matter of pride. After all, they weren’t digging within your grave area, just taking some soil from the periphery. It was a recognition of your family’s development.

Li Sanjiang took a shovel to clear the weeds nearby, and also to reinforce some of the grave mounds. At the same time, he would introduce to Xiao Yuan Hou: “This is so-and-so, that is so-and-so.”

Li Zhuiyuan, while setting out the small offering table and other sacrificial items, kept looking up at the graves, repeating the names Taige had taught him.

In the past, when Taige took him to the ancestral grave to burn paper money, he wasn’t so meticulous or comprehensive. Perhaps he felt that burning paper money early this time was a bit improper, so he had to say more good words and be more enthusiastic, begging the ancestors not to be offended.

“Hey, why is it sunken here?”

Li Sanjiang leaned on his shovel, frowning, looking at a depression in front of him.

Li Zhuiyuan had already set up everything and walked over.

Ancestral graves in the plains are unlike those in mountainous areas, which have slopes or hilltops where they can “partner up.” However, older families would also consciously raise the height of their ancestral graves, adding layers generation after generation.

Therefore, there are many raised small mounds locally, surrounded by trees, which look secluded and unique, but in reality, they enclose graves.

But this kind of arrangement has to consider good drainage during rainy weather, so the slope must be taken into account when arranging the graves. It cannot be sunken in the middle and get flooded, because many people below use coffins, which are hollow, and after water accumulates, it easily forms small ponds.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Taige, that side needs to be padded up again. And open another exit here, sloping downwards, for easy drainage.”

Li Sanjiang: “Xiao Yuan Hou, is this what you studied in university?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Mm…”

Li Sanjiang: “It’s useful! Indeed, when descendants are successful, their ancestors also benefit. So you all need to work harder, bless well, and strive for a few more fires.”

He paused, then Li Sanjiang chuckled again:

“Don’t worry, Xiao Yuan Hou, when your Taige lies in there, I won’t do anything else but constantly urge them not to sleep in, and to bless you.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Taige, you’re not lying here. The grave you and Uncle Shan chose is a bit over there.”

Li Sanjiang: “It doesn’t matter, the underground is connected anyway, and it’s not far.”

Next, Li Sanjiang began to pad the earth and then modify the path.

“Who did this? How could a grave be placed here? Isn’t this just digging a reservoir in the middle of the terrain? You can’t be that lazy. Who is it, so undisciplined?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “From the looks of it, the grave beneath has some years.”

Li Sanjiang: “Mm, your Taige can see that, but they were all arranged by padding outwards. Which family cut in line like this? If you do this, you won’t see any problems for decades, but once you do, the area below would have already sunken and flooded beyond recognition, with the ancestors soaking in dark water.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “It’s fine down there, perfectly good.”

Li Sanjiang: “Really?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Mm.”

Li Zhuiyuan had long since inspected his family’s ancestral grave. It had nothing to do with auspicious geomancy. Its biggest advantage was… it was non-toxic.

Li Sanjiang looked left and right, puzzled: “Hey, universities nowadays are quite something, they even teach this.”

Continuing to work, Li Sanjiang suddenly froze.

“Taige, what’s wrong?”

Li Sanjiang patted his forehead, somewhat embarrassed: “Haha, I remember now, I was the one who buried the grave.”

Saying this, Li Sanjiang looked around again and continued, “Yes, yes, I buried it. It was many years ago, when I was only a few years older than you, Xiao Yuan Hou.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Taige, you started in this line of work so early?”

Li Sanjiang: “How could that be? Fortune-tellers rely on being blind, and those who handle funerals rely on being old. With no hair on my chin, who would invite me to sit for a vigil? Sigh, speaking of which, I’m really embarrassed.”

He sat down to catch his breath, pulled out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and fumbled in his pocket.

“Taige, here.” Li Zhuiyuan took out the matches he had just used to light the candles and helped Taige light his cigarette.

Li Sanjiang: “That was really many years ago, just as I said, when I was only a few years older than you.

I remember that night, I was secretly catching fish in the river. Back then, not only was the land not yours, but even the river belonged to the landlord, so you couldn’t go during the day.

That night, as I was fishing, a floating corpse drifted right towards me, and it delighted me greatly!

Your Taige, me, I was born not afraid of dead people. Seeing the nice clothes on that floating corpse, I thought about whether I could get some silver money to spend.

But when I touched it, damn it, it was a poor fellow. He had many pockets, but they were so clean there wasn’t even a single hair.

What’s more, damn it, this guy actually hadn’t died yet!

There was no other way, I could only drag this guy out and secretly carry him back home.

Sigh, that was the first time in your Taige’s life that I carried a corpse… No, he wasn’t dead yet, but later on, even when your Taige carried floating corpses, none were as strenuous as that time.

I only remember being so tired I almost fainted when I carried him home.

I settled him on the bed at home, scraped some grain, and stewed some gruel for him.

I fed him.

But this guy looked at me. I fed him a spoonful, he spit out a spoonful. I kept feeding, he kept spitting!

It really pissed me off. In those days, grain was so precious. Your Taige, I wouldn’t even drink gruel that thick back then!

Since he wouldn’t eat, I stopped feeding him and let him die on his own.

But after waiting for many days, this guy still hadn’t died. Not only hadn’t he died, but he coughed violently at night, coughing so much I couldn’t sleep. Despite not having a drop of water or a grain of food, he coughed louder each night.

If he kept making noise, I couldn’t just throw him outside to fend for himself. And seeing him cough so painfully, I really couldn’t bear it.

I thought he might be sick, with a lung disease, but your Taige’s pockets were cleaner than his face back then, so I could only choose a night to go to the pharmacy opened by the landlord in town and steal medicine.

I brewed the stolen medicine for him.

Hey, do you know what happened then?

I brought the brewed medicine to him.

He wouldn’t eat the gruel; if I force-fed him, he’d spit it out. But when he smelled the medicine, he actually opened his mouth willingly, wanting to eat.

So I fed him the medicine.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Taige, do you know how to prescribe medicine?”

Li Sanjiang: “How would I know anything? Back then, when poor people got sick, where would they get money for medicine? Pharmacies weren’t places people like us could go. I only heard that if you drank medicine when you were sick, you’d get better.

Your Taige was foolish back then. I had no idea that medicine shouldn’t be mixed or brewed haphazardly, or it could make things worse.

And when I stole medicine, I only thought about which one looked good, the white one, the silver one, I thought those were good medicines, so I just grabbed those.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Then after he drank the medicine…”

Li Sanjiang:

“He foamed at the mouth, bled from his skin, his face turned blue, and his whole body convulsed.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “So, he was accidentally… by you, Taige…”

Li Sanjiang scratched his head, a bit embarrassed:

“Mm, it seems… I poisoned him to death.”